The tATu Saga
by Kuroi Inanis
Summary: Emi and Devil Zukin were lovers in a previous life under different names-- now, centuries later, they have found each other again, not realizing the link they share.
1. Prologue

The tATu saga:

Prologue – She Caught My Eye

An Emi/Devil Zukin fanfiction

Disclaimer: DDR is not my creation, though I'm sure I'd be pretty rich if it was.  Unfortunately, DDR is copyright to Konami… so don't go suing me, I've given up all right to the characters. However, any characters derived from the original characters are mine, and the story idea is mine as well.

General warning: This story is set in an alternate reality from the DDR world and contains language, brief descriptions of sex, abuse/brief descriptions of rape, and a female/female relationship (lesbians ^^;; ). So if you don't want to read about two girls being together, turn back now. Flames will be laughed at, pissed on, and promptly fed to my hamsters. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            //Why do I get the sudden feeling that I should never have gotten out of bed this morning?// Zukin's mind screamed at her as she stood before Tokyo High School, her backpack slung over her shoulder and her new school schedule clutched in her hand. Before her she watched as students interacted in the few precious moments before school started, standing outside smoking or talking with friends/significant others. The young Zukin rolled her eyes and sighed, taking in the different clichés and groups that were around; the Goths, the stoners, the preps, the jocks, the nerds, the recluses… yup, they were all there and waiting for someone new to pick on.

            //And that new person just happens to be me… oh goody.// Another sigh escaped her lips and she shifted the weight of her backpack onto her other shoulder, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. She wasn't permitted to wear her normal clothing to school, so Zukin now found herself donned in a plaid skirt and white long sleeved top with a tie securing the collar against her neck.  It was an uncomfortable uniform, far too constricting for the rather hot month of August (not to mention it was uglier than sin). Even the black school shoes and white knee-high socks felt far too awkward on her – but then again, the last school that she had been to had not required her to wear any type of uniform.  America might have been a shithole to live in, but at least they didn't try to make you look and act like everyone else by forcing you to wear clothing that you hated. 

            //But America was no longer safe for me…// Zukin thought to herself, her mind going back to her previous home for just a moment before she violently shoved it out of her mind, a slight scowl coming to her face.  //No matter… I'll be graduating at the end of this school year, so I suppose I can put up with it for just one year…// With her resolve set she made the journey across the sidewalk and up the stairs, heading for the front door. Immediately she was aware of the glances that came her way; they were only a quick look out of the corner of people's eyes, but it was enough to let her know that people were very quickly taking notice of the new student. 

            //I suppose it can't be avoided… after all, how often is it that a new student comes to school with cat-like ears, wings and a tail? REAL cat-ears, wings and a tail, anyway…// She ignored the stares, as was habit for her anymore, and quietly entered the building. 

Glancing at her watch told her she still had ten minutes to locate her locker, dump some of her shit into it, and head off to her first class of the day. She fought her way through the halls, tucking her wings in against her back and her tail down by her thigh to give other students a bit more room (that and human contact disgusted her). Finding her locker proved to be easier than she had originally thought it would be, and she quickly worked out the combination and opened her backpack, shifting through the books and dumping those for her afternoon courses on the shelf provided. With that done she shut the door and reset the lock, turning to head to class. However, her ears picked up on something she never thought she'd hear in a high school hallway – it was the lack of screaming students and loud voices. She turned around to see that the hall was still crowded with bodies, but everyone had now fallen silent and seemed to all be staring in the same direction. Zukin sighed and tapped the boy in front of her on the shoulder, ignoring his annoyed look as he turned around.

"What's going on?" she asked, trying to stand on the tip of her toes to look over the sea of students before her; being only five foot two had its disadvantages at times.

            "Rage is running Emi through the washer again… this happens almost every morning; it's almost like it's routine now more than anything else. People have tried to stop him before, but they don't call him 'Rage' for nothing…" Zukin blinked, then began to push her way through the crowd, tuning out the complains and curses that she was assaulted with. It took her only a few moments to force her way to the head of the crowd, and what she saw there made her blood boil. The boy had to be at least twice the size of his girlfriend, who was now pinned against the locker with her head down and her bangs covering her eyes. His hand held her in her current position by her arm, and judging by the intensity of his grip, her arm would carry a rather heavy bruise within just a few hours. He was looming over her and screaming in her face, words that Zukin could no longer comprehend thanks to the anger now pulsing through her veins. To the shock of every student in the room she marched over to Rage and dug her nails into his hand, drawing a strangled cry of pain from the young man and producing blood on her nails. He released the small girl in his grip and stumbled back, holding his hand and directing a look at Zukin that made the spectators take a step back.

            "What the FUCK is your problem?!" he screamed, "this is none of your business, bitch!" Zukin's eyes narrowed and she stepped between the two, flaring her wings out to shield the young woman behind her. 

            "It becomes my business when I see you treating her like that…" Zukin replied, her voice calm and lacking all of the anger she currently felt. His increasing anger showed on his face, and the winged girl allowed a smirk to pass over her lips; withholding her own fury had, as she expected, fueled his further.

            "Who do you think you are, telling me how I can and cannot treat my girlfriend?! This is none of your concern, now step aside before I make you wish you had!" he snarled, getting up in her face. The smirk increased and her eyes darkened, her tail flicking behind her slowly. 

            "Really now? You really, honestly think that it'll be easy for you to take me down? Do you believe that because you feel you're tough… or because you feel that if one girl puts up with your shit, every girl will?" The flash of raw fury that ran through his eyes delighted her and she released a low, chilling laugh. "Bring it on then, 'Rage'… if you think you can take me out, prove it…" He lunged at her before she was half-way through her sentence and her hand went out in a flash, grabbing his neck. She turned her body to the side and suddenly Rage found himself pinned against the lockers by his neck. Emi, who had been hiding behind Zukin the entire time, now stood staring in shock, her tiny hand settled on her now swelling arm.  Zukin chuckled darkly and allowed Rage a few moments to struggle in her grip before she tightened the hold and he gasped sharply, a gurgling noise escaping his lips.

            "Now then… are you willing to see things my way?" The anger finally showed through in Zukin's voice, and her prisoner nodded weakly and winced, closing his eyes and tipping back his head to attempt to access more air for his burning lungs.  "Good… " she replied, releasing him so suddenly that he fell to the floor, choking and holding his neck. She stood watching him for a long moment, her wings returning to their folding position on her back, and then she glanced over her shoulder at the students still watching. 

            "Show's over now, you can all feel free to head to class… or whatever." Immediately the students complied, not wishing to invoke the same wrath they had just witnessed. Zukin nodded, and then turned to Emi, who stood with her head dipped low once again.

            "Th… Thank you…" she whispered, looking up briefly and giving the older girl a weak, shaky smile. Zukin nodded, looking the girl over to make sure there were no major injuries before she turned back to Rage, who was just now struggling to his feet. 

            "Listen to me and listen to me well, human…" she hissed, baring her fangs. "If I ever catch you treating your girlfriend, or ANYONE, like that again, I'll make sure you suffer long and hard before I kill you, gut you like a fish, and grill you up on a barbeque… do you understand me?" Rage's eyes narrowed and they stood facing each other off for several moments before he turned to Emi, his eyes narrowing.

            "Let's go," he told her harshly, his tone indicating his expected no objections. To the immense surprise of both beings the girl shook her head, diverting her eyes to the floor.

            "No…" she whispered, her voice shaking in fear. His lips curled back in a snarl and he stepped toward her, Zukin moving to once against stand between them.

            "You heard her… and you heard me. I suggest you listen before I make good on my threat, child… by the sounds of things, your relationship is over." Both girls watched as his face became red with fury, before he snorted and turned to glare at Emi with such intensity that it chilled her to the core. 

            "This isn't over Emi… this isn't over by a long shot," he whispered before he turned and stormed off, throwing one of his books into the nearest locker and leaving it lying there on the floor. For a long moment after he left there was silence, and then Zukin turned to Emi, offering a soft smile. 

            "Are you alright?" She questioned, gently inspecting the girl's arm. Emi nodded and brushed a strand of blue hair off her face, giving a soft smile of her own. Zukin nodded, then sighed.

            "Well, we best go… class has already started, and I for one don't want to get grilled any worse than I already am…" she turned to go, but a soft hand on her shoulder stopped her. 

            "Wait… I didn't even get to ask you your name…" Emi whispered softly, a slight blush crossing her face. Zukin smiled and softly shrugged Emi's hand away, though she was a bit shocked that the girl's touch didn't bother her as badly as human contact usually did. 

            "It's Ditto… but if you call me that, I'll have to rearrange your face. You can call me Devil Zukin… you take care of yourself Emi." She turned and headed down the hallway, leaving the small girl to watch her go, a soft smile on her face.

            "Zukin… that's pretty. Thank you, Zukin…" she whispered, knowing full well the girl couldn't hear her. She then stooped to grab her bag and slung it over her shoulder, taking one last glance down the hall before she quietly turned and walked away, a soft smile still drifting on the corners of her lips. 

TBC

SMC, Dated the 3rd of March 2004


	2. Chapter 01

The t.A.T.u. saga;

Part 01 – All the Things She Said

An Emi/Devil Zukin fanfiction

            See the prologue for disclaimers and warnings.

            Note: This song is not perfectly set to the tone of this story, just to let the reader know. The lyrics suggest that the two girls are together already and are facing society's reactions, where as Emi and Zukin are just now realizing how they feel and how to interact with each other. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Emi sighed softly to herself as she sat down in the cafeteria, her lunch tray in her hands. The teacher hadn't come down on her too badly, thanks to her otherwise-perfect attendance. She glanced around the room, her eyes searching around for the girl who she had met this morning. For reasons unknown even to herself, her mind had been drifting back to the older girl with the wings and tail who had saved her that morning. No one had ever stuck up for her before, not when it came to Reiji's cruelty… even her best friend Nina hadn't been able to stand up to the teen known to most only as Rage.  He had a reputation in this school, and everyone knew that reputation wasn't a good one. A soft sigh escaped the girl's lips and she pushed her food around on her plate, picking at it idly as her mind drifted through thoughts of her past and her experiences with Rage.

            "Hey there… you should know by now that playing with the school food won't make it taste any better. Either eat it or pitch it, but don't decorate your fingers with it." Emi glanced over her shoulder just as Nina sat down next to her, a small bento box in her hand. Nina was several inches taller than Emi and a year older, and in the younger girl's opinion, her friend's age really showed. She had long blue hair that was usually worn in several small braids and neatly held away from her face by some bright-colored bandana. The smaller girl smiled and laughed, moving her bag onto the floor to give her friend a bit more room. 

            "You'd think by now that I'd learn to pack my own lunches like you… but no, I have to be the lazy one that rushes out the door two minutes before the bus comes because I enjoy my sleep." Nina laughed at this, opening the lid to her lunch and digging a pair of chopsticks out of her bag. 

            "It's called making the lunch before you go to bed, Emi… believe it or not, food does not go bad when you transfer it from one container to another and put it back in the fridge…" Emi rolled her eyes and picked up an item from her plate that was trying to pass itself off as a slice of pizza, taking a bite out of it and grimacing at the taste. 

            "Yeah yeah…" she muttered, glancing around the cafeteria once more, her expression becoming a bit more dejected as still there was no sign of her savior from this morning. Nina raised an eyebrow and gave her friend a grin.

            "Looking for that girl from this morning?" she questioned, giggling. Emi glanced over at her and furrowed her brow.

            "How did you find out about that? You weren't even THERE…" she questioned, setting her 'pizza' down. Nina's smile widened and she popped a piece of sushi into her mouth before answering.

            "It's not every day that someone goes up against Rage… and it's DEFINITELY not every day that said challenger not only kicks his ass, but has breasts as well. Stuff like that doesn't stay quiet, especially in THIS school…" 

            "True… speaking of Reiji, I'm beginning to wonder why he hasn't shown up to harass me like he usually does…" Emi muttered softly, "Especially considering that I basically told him after the fight that we were over… I'm still waiting to receive the punishment for that one." Nina shuddered a bit at Emi's words and subconsciously moved closer to her, glancing around the large room once again.

            "I hope he doesn't try to start anything… he might be able to get away with it in the hallway, but there are a lot of guys in this school that could easily take him out given the chance… if for no reason now than the fact that every knows he hits girls. Izam was enraged when he found out about it." Emi nodded softly and went back to her lunch, her mind drifting a bit as Nina started to ramble on about… well, whatever it was Nina usually rambled on about. It wasn't that Emi didn't listen to her friend (far from it in fact); but after awhile, Nina would ramble on and on without allowing Emi to get a word in, and she had gotten to the point where she would listen without listening, if that analogy made any sense at all. Today, however… today she was unable to think about anything other than the strange girl from this morning that had saved her. 

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

_Running through my head_

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

_Running through my head_

_This is not enough_

            "Emi? Emi, what are you thinking about?" Nina asked, her voice full of both curiosity and concern. It was rare that her friend would completely zone out and disregard everything that was said to her. Emi blinked and glanced up from her tray, where her eyes had currently been focused. 

            "What? Oh, sorry… I was just zoning out is all…" she fibbed, reaching down to pick at her lunch again. Nina's brow furrowed and she sighed, placing her hand over her friend's. 

            "Hey… don't lie to me. Something's on your mind, and I know it's not school or a random zone-out…" a sly grin passed over her features. "It's that girl from this morning… isn't it?" Emi jumped at her friend's words and a bright blush covered her cheeks.

            "Ex… excuse me?! I… I'm not like that!" She yelped, though the blush seemed to increase a bit even as she defended herself. Nina laughed and squeezed Emi's hand, earning another soft yelp of surprise.

            "I never said you were Emi… but then again, I never said you weren't," The confusion was obvious on Emi's face, and Nina lowered her voice a bit to explain. "Listen… I've seen you in gym class, in the showers… you try to pretend like you're not looking, but I've seen you watch other girls out of the corner of your eye… I've seen you observe girls on the basketball or soccer teams when you're there to see Rage practice instead. No one else really picks up on it Emi, but I do…" As Nina spoke Emi's head dipped lower and lower and her face increased in color, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. 

            "I… I don't watch other girls… I don't! I like boys…" she whispered, though her voice shook a bit. Nina smiled and reached out to take her friend's chin in her hand, gently lifting her head up so their eyes met. 

            "Hey there… it's alright. Liking other girls isn't as bad as it sounds. Hell, you'd be surprised as to just how many girls like other girls in this school… it's not all that uncommon, and it's not all that bad a thing. Remember… you can't help what you feel…" For a long moment there was silence at the table, until it was broken by the sound of someone else joining them.

            "Hey Nina, Emi…" Izam said loosely, slinging his arm over his girlfriend's shoulder. Nina gave Emi another smile and squeezed her hand before she sat back, kissing Izam's cheek gently. 

            "Hey babe…" she replied, turning back to her lunch. Emi stared at the two for a moment and then stood quickly, grabbing her backpack and slinging it loosely over her shoulder. 

            "I gotta go…" she muttered, grabbing her tray and retreating from the table before either person could respond. She dumped the food into the nearest bin and pushed the doors to the quad open heavily, disappearing into the warm spring air. 

_I'm in serious shit, I feel totally lost_

_If I'm asking for help, it's only because_

_Being with you has opened my eyes_

_Could I ever believe such a perfect surprise?_

            She wandered around the campus for a few minutes, not quite sure what she was looking for but seeking it none the less. Emi finally found herself hanging out across the street with the smokers, where she proceeded to retrieve a pack of cigarettes from her bag and a lighter. Smoking was something Emi had never truly approved of, but both her parents did it and after living with the habit all of her life, she had become accustomed to it and had ended up trying it. Pulling the small death stick out of her back she fished around for a lighter, freezing when she heard a familiar voice break in.

            "Hey there, didn't know you smoked…" Zukin told her, smiling a bit and holding a lighter out to her. "Here…" Emi nodded and once again her cheeks took on a red tint. She took the blue fire maker out of the girl's hand and lit her cigarette, taking a long drag from it. 

            "I… I don't usually smoke, actually…" she whispered, looking at her feet. "Just… just stressed out right now, that's all…" Zukin smiled and nodded, toying with her cigarette before taking a drag of her own. 

            "I understand…" she replied, blowing the smoke out slowly. "It's a dirty habit and we both know it, but there is something rather appealing about it…" Emi nodded softly and glanced around at the other smokers, seeing if by chance Rage was standing among them. He had picked up the habit after meeting her, and now smoked a rather unhealthy two packs a day. 

            "Don't worry, he's not around… he was here earlier, but he left the moment he saw me… looked pretty pissed off, too…" Zukin spoke as if she could read the blue-haired girl's mind, giving a soft chuckle that rolled off her tongue. The sound made Emi's head swim in a sort of sweet, thick broth of affection.

            //Maybe Nina was right… maybe I do like other girls…// Emi's mind whispered to her. 

            "He hasn't given you any shit, has he?" Zukin's voice broke in and Emi shook her head rapidly, flicking her cigarette away and shouldering her bag again.

            "No… I haven't even seen him since this morning, actually…" she replied, checking her watch. Zukin smiled and her smoke joined Emi's on the ground. 

            "Well, if he messes with you again, tell me and I'll fix it for ya," she muttered, itching one of her cat-like ears and flicking her tail back and forth. Emi nodded, smiling shyly.

            "What class do you have next?" she questioned softly. Zukin reached into her pocket and pulled out a torn piece of paper, opening it and skimming down with her eyes until she found what she was looking for. 

            "Um… Biology…" she replied, returning the paper to its previous home. "But by the time I find it, the class will be half over…" she muttered.

            "Biology? I have that class next too. Follow me and you'll be alright…" Emi replied, a bright smile crossing over her features. Zukin stared at her for a long moment, then smiled as well. 

            "Sound's like a plan to me. C'mon, let's get going before we're late for yet ANOTHER class…" she muttered, smiling a bit. Emi nodded, and together the two girls walked across the street and up the steps to the school. 

_I keep asking myself, wondering how_

_I keep closing my eyes _

_but__ I can't block you out_

_Wanna__ fly to a place where_

_it's__ just you and me_

_Nobody else so we can be free_

            "Class, we have a new student…" the teacher droned, his expression plainly showing that he could have cared less about new students, or his class in general. Zukin, who was standing at the head of the room, sighed and looked away, obviously uncomfortable with being before a crowd, even one as small as this. "She will now introduce herself." He took his seat and left the strange girl standing at the head of the class, her tail swishing nervously behind her and her ears laying flat back against her head.

            "Hi," she started bluntly, "I'm Ditto, but I hate being called by my name. If you must speak to me, refer to me as Devil Zukin or just Zukin." Having said all she intended to say she took her seat next to Emi, slumping down in her seat and staring blankly at the board. Emi glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and then back at the front, feeling her eyelids droop a bit as the teacher's monotone voice preached today's lecture. It had always been a struggle to stay awake in this class, and even with the person of her hidden affections sitting right next to her, Emi still had to fight the drowsiness for the next hour of the class. Everyone else had dropped off to sleep within minutes, leaving just the blue-haired girl and her companion to suffer through the science lecture. Towards the end the teacher cut his preaching off (as he had a habit of doing with neither a warning nor a proper closure) and moved to his desk, picking up a stack of papers and glancing around the room.

            "Class, I have chosen your partners for the midterm project and have the proper paperwork explaining everything you need to know. I'm leave the subject you wish to study up to you, as long as it's from one of the chapters we have discussed. As you all know, until today we had an odd number of students in the class, but that situation has now been altered to your advantages. Emi, considering that Zukin-san came into the class with you, I have paired you two together… everyone else, your current partners still stand and will stand, without negotiation, until the project is finished." He started to call out names, but Emi was no longer listening. In fact, Emi hadn't been listening since the moment it had been revealed to her that she would now be "forced" to spend time with Zukin not only at school, but away from school as well. She turned to look at the girl sitting next to her with her heart caught in her throat, her eyes searching for some sign that she shared the same excitement Emi did. Zukin was still staring ahead, her gaze fixated on the teacher standing at the head of the room. Slowly, she looked over at Emi, her face blank. They held each other's eyes for what felt like forever to the smaller girl, until, slowly, a smile passed over Zukin's face; and Emi's heart melted in her chest. 

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

_Running through my head_

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

_Running through my head_

_This is not enough_

_This is not enough_

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

            Class let out just minutes later, but since that smile Emi's sense of time had been suspended in a sort of lovesick goo. She floated out of the classroom behind Zukin in silence, her cheeks burning red for the millionth time that day and a soft smile dancing across her lips. Zukin glanced over at the girl walking next to her, an eyebrow cocked and a bewildered expression on her face. 

            "You look happy…" she muttered, shifting the weight of her bag onto her other shoulder. Emi jumped and looked over at the girl through half-closed eyelids, a childlike grin on her face. 

            "Me?! Oh, I just… I'm just happy that I wasn't stuck in a team of three… I didn't like the people I was paired with either…" she replied quickly. 

            "But… he never told you who you were paired with before me…" Zukin replied, a sly smirk slipping across her lips.  Emi's eyes widened and she gulped, at a loss for words. After a moment Zukin laughed and patted Emi's back, sending shivers down her spine. 

            "Do you wanna come over to my place after school to work on that project? I know we have time, but I hate to leave things until the last minute, and the sooner we work on this the better," she asked, noting that perhaps it would be better to change the subject. Emi nodded and smiled brightly. 

            "Alright! Do you wanna meet me across the street after classes are over?" she suggested. Zukin nodded and glanced at her watch, sighing. 

            "Shit… I'm gonna be late to another class…" she muttered, pulling her schedule out of her backpack and skimming it for the hundredth time that day. Emi took the sheet from Zukin's hand and looked over it for only a moment before she produced a pen from her back and quickly scrawled down a few directions, returning the paper to its owner.

            "Here… that should help you somewhat. You might still be late today, but not as late as you have been." Zukin smiled and nodded, then looked at her watch again.

            "We better go or you're gonna be late also…" she said softly, reaching out and brushing a strand of hair from Emi's face idly, "Sorry, it was bothering me..." she said when she noticed the look of shock on Emi's face. Emi could only manage a nod and once again watch Zukin's retreating figure, her hand slowly drifting up to touch her cheek. 

            "That… that's fine…" she replied, more to herself than to the other girl. The bell sounded and a curse escaped her lips as she scooped up her backpack and raced down the hall towards class.

_And I'm all mixed up,_

_feeling__ cornered and rushed_

_They say it's my fault but I want her so much_

_Wanna__ fly her away where the sun and the rain_

_Come in over my face,_

_wash__ away all the shame_

            Zukin walked down the hallway slowly, knowing that she was late for class but not really having the ability to care. Her mind was not on class, but rather on the short blue-haired girl she had met just this morning. They had only met a few hours previous and had shared few words, but already Emi was worming her way into Zukin's icy heart. 

            //I touched her…// her mind whispered softly, confusion flooding her thoughts, //I hate contact, especially contact with humans… and I TOUCHED her…// She glanced down at the hand that had brushed hair out of Emi's face and sighed.

            "I've dated girls before… that's not the problem; in fact, I wouldn't be IN

this fucked-up mess if it weren't for Cassandra…" she whispered to herself, a slightly sad smile coming over her face. She had already awoken to Cassandra, to a past that some days found her wishing she had never remembered. She shook those thoughts out of her head, scolding herself for dwelling on things she couldn't change.

            "It doesn't matter… I'll just make sure to watch myself around her; something drew me here, and something is drawing me to this girl… she may be significant to my past and she may not be… but either way, it's nice to know I've found a friend if nothing else… even if I am attracted to her…" She spoke to herself once again, drawing attention from some student heading down the hall towards god-knows-where. He raised an eyebrow at her and she pulled her lips back to expose fangs, hissing at him until he scurried off in fright. She snorted and watched him go, then turned left down the hallway and continued to class.

            Even though the rest of the school day had only consisted of two class periods, it felt like forever to Emi before the last bell of the day rang and she was free to go meet Zukin. She rushed down the stairs and across the school parking lot, her heart beating madly in her chest and a bright smile on her face. She barely remembered to stop and look both ways before tearing across the street and coming to a stop next to Nina, who was also a smoker and was enjoying her own cancer stick before she went home and played the "good daughter" for her parents. Izam was sharing her cigarette with her and greeted Emi as she stood hunched over with her hands on her knees, choking for breath as she too reached for her cigarettes. 

            "Hey Emi… don't usually see you over here after school. Waiting for someone, or did you just come to see us?" Emi smiled and laughed, lighting up her own smoke and coughing on the first drag. 

            "Um… I'm… I'm waiting for someone…" she choked, putting a hand over her mouth to cover it as she hacked. Izam raised an eyebrow and grinned, turning to Nina.

            "You were right! She DOES have the hots for someone!" he exclaimed, laughing. Emi's face went red and she looked away in silence, feeling someone's hand on her shoulder a moment later. 

            "Hey… have you been waiting long?" Zukin's deep voice broke into Emi's embarrassed silence and she smiled, looking up and shaking her head.

            "No, not long… shall we go?" she questioned, glancing over at Nina and giving her a look that plainly told her friend to keep her mouth shut and to make sure her boyfriend did the same. Nina caught the implication and took Izam's hand as he opened his mouth to speak, pulling him away less than gently. 

            "Come on, I've got to get home anyway… see you tomorrow Emi!" she called, heading off towards the nicer suburbs of town with Izam in tow. Emi let out a soft sigh of relief and turned to her new friend.

            "Let's go," she said, smiling. Zukin nodded and the two headed off in silence. 

_When they stop and stare – don't worry me_

_'Cause I'm feeling for her _

_what__ she's feeling for me_

_I can try to pretend, I can try to forget_

_But it's driving me mad, going out of my head…_

            "Sorry about the mess… I just moved in a few days ago and I'm still not completely settled in…" Zukin told her as they walked in, her voice holding a touch of embarrassment. She dumped her things in a corner and motioned for Emi to do the same, stripping off her shoes and disappearing into the back of the apartment. Emi blinked and looked around for the extra pairs of slippers that she was accustomed to upon entering a Japanese home, then shrugged and followed.

            "Don't even worry about it… moving can be messing business, and I'm sure you have work as well as school to contend with. I've been living in the same house for the past several years and somehow my room is ALWAYS messy…" she joked, laughing a bit. The older girl cracked a smile but did not return the laugh, undoing the clasp at her neck that held her hat on her head and pulling the restricting item off, allowing a wave of long purple hair to cascade down her back. Now that the hat was removed Emi could see that the cat ears were not fake as she had thought before, but actually quite real and a part of her body. She thought of asking about them (as well as the tail and wings) but decided against it, not wanting to insult her hostess. She looked around as Zukin led her to the only bedroom in the apartment and sat down on the bed, smiling at her.

            "Um… where are your parents? I mean… do you live alone?" she questioned softly, standing in the doorway until she was invited in. Zukin shook her head and looked away for a long moment before glancing back at the girl.

            "Yeah, I live alone… my parents are dead." Emi nodded softly and looked down, ashamed of herself.

            "I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked you, that was rude…" she whispered. Zukin dismissed it with a wave of her hand and then beckoned Emi into the room, motioning for her to sit anywhere she wished.

            "I don't mind… you weren't rude in your mannerism of asking, so it's fine…" Emi nodded and sat down on the floor, pulling open her backpack and pulling out her notebook. 

            "Alright… first of all, we need to pick a topic that we want our paper to be about…" she told Zukin, finding the list and pulling it out. "Here's some of the available topics… we have to make the paper on the functions of one of these body parts listed… 'human mind, human heart, human nervous system, human lungs, human liver, human kidneys…'. We also have the option of comparing the workings of these functions to the workings of any mammal we choose…" She looked up at Zukin, who had been listening and now seemed to be lost in thought. 

            "How about the functions of the human mind?" she suggested, scratching back behind her ear, "that one sounds fascinating somehow…" Emi nodded and wrote the subject down on the notes section of the paper.

            "That sounds good… now, next we need to research our subject briefly and give Sawada-san a two-page outline on what we plan to do with our presentations… that's due on Tuesday of next week, and we have tomorrow scheduled as a library day… so I guess that's all we needed to get together for…" Zukin nodded and watched Emi tuck the paper back into her bag along with the notebook. 

            "So that's it? Damn, this teacher must be out of it if he wanted us all to get together tonight only to decide on a subject for our projects…" Emi nodded softly and stood to go, her backpack in her hand.

            "I'm sorry; I know it was most likely a waste of your time… so I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" she said, smiling shyly. The older girl looked her up and down and cocked an eyebrow. 

            "You're leaving already? Don't you wanna stay and talk or something? I've got nothing to do tonight, and company would be nice… unless you have something to do…" Emi shook her head quickly and sat back down, discarding her bag off to the side. 

            "No, I'm free tonight! What do you wanna talk about? Do you want me to show you around the city?" she asked perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, earning a soft laugh from Zukin.

            "You're cute…" she said, grinning at the blush it produced from Emi, "tell you what… I've got a better idea, if you're up for it…" The blue-haired girl nodded her head quickly and sat waiting for the suggestion, her face reflecting confusion when Zukin stood and went to the closet, taking from it something that looked like a saddle or a harness and attaching it to her back. 

            "What… what are you – "

            "You'll see," Zukin cut her off, beckoning for her to follow. Emi stood and followed the winged girl to the door, pulling on her shoes and heading out the door behind her. To her surprise Zukin didn't head downstairs, but instead hopped up and pulled open the narrow staircase that led to the roof of the building. 

            "But… but isn't this illegal?" she asked as her friend climbed up to the rood and extended a hand down to help her up. Zukin grinned and laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

            "Probably… but who's going to catch us? Come on, what are you afraid of?" she asked, extending her hand again. Emi paused for a moment and then took the hand held out to her, allowing herself to be hauled up the stairs and onto the roof. The door shut behind them and suddenly it was just the two of them up on the roof, high above the rushing city of Tokyo. 

            "Alright, hop on…" Zukin told her, bending down and motioning towards the saddle on her back. Emi blinked and searched for a sign that the girl was joking. When it became apparent that she wasn't, a confused look passed over her face. 

            "What do you mean?" she questioned. Zukin scoffed and shook her head.

            "It's a surprise… just hop on and hold on tight. I promise you, nothing bad's gonna happen as long as you hold on and listen to what I tell you…" There was another long moment of hesitation from Emi, and then she walked over and climbed onto the saddle, her tiny arms tightly gripping the straps Zukin put in her hand. 

            "Got a good hold?" she asked, spreading her wings out along her sides. Emi nodded and smiled shakily, opening her mouth to ask another question. The noise died in her throat and was then replaced by a scream as Zukin suddenly rushed to the side of the roof and threw herself over it, sending them both hurtling towards the hard ground below.

_Mother looking at me_

_Tell me what do you see? _

_Yes, I've lost my mind_

_Daddy, looking at me_

_Will I ever be free?_

_Have I crossed the line?_

            "OH MY FUCKING GOD, ARE YOU INSANE?!" Emi screamed as the girls plummeted down towards the street below, Zukin laughing all the way. At the last moment her wings opened and suddenly they were soaring up towards the clouds, the look of terror on Emi's face being replaced by a smile of sheet joy. 

            "I told you to trust me…" she teased Emi as they flew high above the city, the people and cars becoming smaller and smaller. The girl laughed and looked around her, her eyes sparkling happily and her cheeks rosy red from the wind. 

            "WOW!" she exclaimed, her eyes drinking in the sight like a child would chocolate milk; with excitement and wonderment and even a bit of fear for the unknown. Zukin only laughed and dipped down once more, soaring down to Tokyo Tower only to swoop up once again at the last moment. Emi squealed with ecstasy and hugged the reins to her chest, her feet swinging back and forth at Zukin's sides. 

            "This… this is AMAZING!" she cried, a laugh tearing itself from her throat as well. "Look! Everyone down there looks like an ant! I'm bigger than Rage is now!" She flattened her foot out as if standing in midair and then made the motion of grinding something into the ground, grinning as she did so, "HA! Take THAT, Reiji!" she called, giggling madly. Zukin joined in with her and together they pretended to grind those below them under their feet like tiny, insignificant insects. 

            It was several hours later when Zukin finally took Emi home. They had flown all over the city and out above the ocean, stopping only because the sun had finally started to set. After a quick stop back at the house to pick up Emi's things they had made the trip across town and now stood at the end of the girl's block, saying their goodbyes for the night and decided when and where to meet the next day.

            "I had a really fun time Zukin… thank you for taking me out flying with you…" 

            "Hey, it wasn't a problem…" she replied, shrugging it off, "I'd like to take you again sometime; it's nice to have someone to talk to once in a while, seeing as how I don't interact with people very often…" Emi nodded and took a piece of paper and a pen from her bag, scrawling down her number and handing it to Zukin.

            "Anytime… here's my number if you need to talk about the assignment, or just talk about anything… I really don't have a curfew or anything…" Zukin glanced at the number and stuck it in the pocket of her school uniform, nodding.

            "I'll remember that… see you at 6:40 tomorrow for a smoke?" Emi nodded and shouldered her bag again, glancing down the street at her house. 

            "6:40 am sounds good to me," she replied. For a long moment there was silence, and then Emi took a slow step towards her house. 

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

            She felt a hand reach out and catch her wrist, stopping her last moment. 

            "Emi, wait…"

_Running through my head_

            Emi turned around to face her friend, a smile on her face and that damned blush once again on her cheek. 

            "Yes?" she asked. 

_All the things she said_

_All the things she said_

            Zukin took a deep breath and then leaned down to gently brush her lips against Emi's in a chaste kiss, causing the girl to freeze and her heartbeat to increase a hundredfold. She pulled back and smiled.

_Running through my head_

"Thanks for a great time…"

_This is not enough_

            And before Emi could respond, she was gone. For several minutes she stood in shock, her fingers brushing her lips and her face frozen in a look of joy-induced shock. Then, that same bright smile she had been wearing all day broke across her features. She laughed and spun around in the road, her arms out around her and her head thrown back in a laugh. Then she smiled, looked to the sky once more, and headed down the street for home. 

_This is not enough...._

TBC…

            Author's notes: DAMN! This took me a long time to get out, but finally the first chapter is complete! Thanks go to Candice, who did a roleplay very similar to this with me a long, LONG time ago… without you, the idea of the flight would have never come about… thanks babe!

To Chal Mot'ae, who gave me the motivation the continue this. And don't you worry, you'll get your own spark back soon! Don't forget, this is the first story I've been able to work on in almost 5 years ^^ It'll come to you. 

Till next time!

@~~`~~,~


End file.
